


all my days I'll know your face

by cinderlily



Series: everything has changed [1]
Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Complete and utter sap, F/M, they meet as adult au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 12:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7802215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Lucas is a Vet Tech and Riley has a problem that needs immediate help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	all my days I'll know your face

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so not only have I not written het in so long it is actually sad, this is the first time I've written this pairing. Please feel free to leave a critique. It is not betaed as I only know one girl in this fandom and she ships a different pairing. 
> 
> Betaed (ish) by my loving wife. Thanks, boo. <3 (Who will never read this and genuinely asked what show this was after finishing it.)

Lucas was just finished cleaning up the front area after an unfortunate _accident_ by an eager four-month-old bulldog when the door opened and an anxious looking brunette ran in. 

“Is there a cat doctor in the house?” she said, completely serious and Lucas couldn’t help but cock his head at her. 

“You mean a veterinarian?” 

The girl nodded. “Yes, of course. Are you one?” 

Technically? Not yet. REALLY close though. But for this girl? “Yes, yes I am.” 

She grabbed him by the hand, which fortunately he had had the chance to clean them and yanked him. “You got to help Captain Fluffernut.” 

“Captain what?” 

But he didn’t get a chance to answer as the next thing he knew he was out the door and almost three stores down the road. The girl was tall but thin, yet she could pack a lot of energy in her running and he had to lengthen his strides just to keep up. He couldn’t help but think that he probably should have told Dr. Kent that he was leaving the front office but… too late for that. 

They made it to the end of the block and turned and he looked around. He’d only been in the city for a few weeks, but he was still amazed at just how much was packed into the tiny space. He had never even been down this street before. A minute later they were in front of a set of stairs and she let go of his hands to take the stairs by two. 

He got to the bottom and found a cat, lying on it’s side and looking pretty miserable.

The girl looked at him, pointed at the cat and said, “Well?” 

“Uh, how long has he been this way?” he asked, trying to bring up his textbook in his brain. 

“ **She**.” 

“She?” 

The girl put her hands on her hips. “A girl can’t be a Captain?” 

He didn’t laugh because she looked so … earnest. “Of course. How long has SHE been this way?” 

“I don’t know,” she bit her lip. “Like an hour? I was working and she is usually pretty lazy but she’s been getting lazier. She isn’t that old… I don’t think. Then Auggie told me that she wasn’t getting up and she was mewling and I told him that she’s a CAT and she does that but then Maya said she was _REALLY_ mewling and I came out and she looks so miserable… That’s not normal right?” 

He blinked at her. He had caught about two-thirds of that, through her fast talk and the fact that she referenced a few names like he should know them. “Okay. Give me a second. I don’t have any of my gear…” 

Tentatively he got down on his knees and approached the cat. He offered out a hand, crooking a finger near her nose to let her take in his scent. To be honest she didn’t seem to care. After a minute or two of hearing her noise, everything clicked into place and he smiled. 

“Do you happen to have a box and some towels?”

The girl’s eyes went impossibly wider and a little wet. “You aren’t going to have to take her away, are you?” 

“What?” he asked and when it looked like she might actually cry he stood up and resisted the urge to hug her. “No, no. Not bad. This is not bad. Captain Fluffernut is apparently going to be getting some little shipmates.” 

The eyes softened and then with realization a huge smile. “Kittens? SHE’S HAVING KITTENS? **MAYYYYYYYA**!!!!” 

A shockingly fast moment later a small rush of blonde hair rushed out the door and halted just in front of the girl. “What? What is it? Is she okay?” 

“She’s having _kittens_ ,” the girl gushed. 

“Fluffernut you _dog_ ,” Maya said to the cat, then turned back to her friend. “Riles, I think it’s time we have the talk…” 

“Shut up, Maya, we are having kittens. We need a box and towels.” 

“ **JOOOOSH** ,” Maya called out and a guy popped his head out the door. 

“What?” 

Maya batted her eyes at the guy. “Can you get us a box and towels so Captain Fluffernut can have her kittens?” 

Josh looked down at the cat. “Way to go Fluffernut.” 

“Josh, box, focus,” Maya said and the guy rolled his eyes. 

He mock saluted. “Aye aye. Who’s that guy?” 

He turned before he got the chance to get an answer, but it did bring Maya’s attention around to Lucas who was standing there bemusedly watching the whole thing. She gave him a look that made him feel a lot shorter than he actually was, which was a feat as she had to be a foot shorter than he was. 

“Yeah, who is this guy?” 

“I’m Lucas,” he put his hand out. “I work at the vet’s down the street. Your friend…” 

The girl looked up from the cat at him and blushed. “Riley, I’m Riley.” 

“Riley, nice to meet you,” he smiled at her. She smiled back and his stomach did an involuntary flip. 

A set of small fingers snapped in front of his face. “Eyes on the prize, Lucas. Who are you?” 

“I’m a tech,” he said. “For the vet’s?” 

“A tech, so you aren’t a veterinarian, why would we trust you?” 

He felt a little ping of guilt followed by annoyance. “I mean, I’m almost done. It just takes a lot of time and money to get your license… But I am fully trained in helping cats give birth. Mostly because they do it for themselves for the most part. We just need to make her comfortable.” 

“We should bring her inside!” Riley called out. 

Maya turned around. “Health code, Matthews.” 

“It’s a little balmy, right?” Riley looked directly at Lucas. “Shouldn’t it be cooler?” 

“She’s fine,” he assured her, just as the door opened and the guy from earlier came out with a large empty box and a handful of towels out onto the small front patio. 

Maya turned and grabbed them to hand them to Lucas. “Don’t screw this up.” 

“Thank you for your vote of confidence, ma’am,” he said, leaning back down and placing the towels around the inside of the box. He then very gently picked up the cat and placed her in the box. She made a pitiful sound and then curled up in the corner. 

A long beat of silence followed by Riley interrupting. “Now what?” 

“We wait,” he said, shrugging. 

“Who IS this guy?” Josh asked. 

“Vet tech,” Maya said. “Riley stole him.” 

Lucas held his hand up, not bothering to get up. “Hi, I’m Lucas Friar.” 

“Josh Matthews,” Josh returned. 

Lucas automatically looked at Josh’s left hand, then between Riley and he. “Matthews?” 

“She’s my niece,” he grinned. Riley nodded at him like it was perfectly natural for a guy who looked like he was their age to be her uncle? 

But Maya wrapped herself around Josh and squeezed him tight. “Yeah, we’re getting married.” 

“Dating, Maya, we’re dating.” 

“Long game,” Maya smiled, pecking him on the lips. “Now we go do work, cause there is zero chance Riley is getting anything done for the rest of the day.” 

Riley, who’d sat down beside Lucas, looked up at the two of them with a beatific grin. “ _Kittens_ , Josh. Captain Fluffernut is giving us _kittens_.” 

“Thank god Auggie has the week off,” Josh said, Maya pushing them both back into the shop. 

Then it was back to just the two of them, Lucas sitting looking at Riley as she looked at the cat happily. He didn’t know how to break it to her that it really was going to be a while. So instead he decided to make conversation. 

“So you work here?” he asked, brain blank. 

Riley looked up at him and then at the storefront, that read ‘Topanga’s’. “It’s my family’s actually. I work here during my off time. I’m a writer, or … I’m trying to be.” 

“Really? What kind?” he asked and she blushed. 

“Children’s books,” she said. “I love writing about adventures and dragons and unicorns. I like seeing kids read a good book. My dad was a teacher, so it’s in my blood.” 

“Unicorns?” he teased, and she sighed. 

“If only,” she winked at him. “How come I haven’t seen you around before?” 

Which segued into the whole story of his work study, and how he was from Texas and how New York was kind of huge and scary. (She said she liked to think of it as a forest of buildings and he could see stories growing in her eyes.) Which turned into talking about their childhood and suddenly time was passing. 

When the first kitten was finally born, Riley had to hold her breath to keep from screaming. She went to reach in but Lucas said it was probably best to let the kitty stay near its mom for a little while later. She looked a little bummed out but watched gleefully as the next kitten was born, and the one after that and the one after that. 

Seven kittens, ranging from black and white to two that looked like tabby cats. 

“It’s good luck!” she said happily. “Seven babies. Oh my gosh.” 

She leaned over and hugged Lucas tightly, pecking him lightly on the cheek. Then pulled back and covered her face. 

“Sorry, got a little caught up I guess.” 

There was a smack on the glass behind them and it was Maya who was looking out with a glare. She pointed her fingers at her eyes and then at Lucas. Lucas put both hands up. 

“She’s tiny but scary.” 

“Yeah,” Riley said like it was the best compliment he could give. 

There was a long moment where they just looked at each other and something sat between them. He wondered if he should say something, or possibly do something. He kind of wanted to lean over and kiss her but felt like it just wasn’t the right moment. Rather he ducked his head. 

“I should get back to work.” 

“Oh,” Riley said. “Yeah. Uh. You should. I’m sorry. You probably didn’t need to sit here staring at kitties all afternoon.” 

Lucas shrugged. “It was the best afternoon I’ve had in awhile.’ 

“Really?” Riley smiled, putting a lock of hair behind her ear. 

“Really.” 

“Well, Lucas Friar, you should come back. Like, anytime you want,” she said. “Free coffee for life.” 

Lucas laughed. “You don’t have to do that.” 

“You saved my Captain,” Riley smiled. “Also?” 

Riley picked up a little tabby looking kitty, who was clearly annoyed by being moved from it’s source of warmth. “This will be First Mate Friar.” 

Lucas couldn’t help but laugh. “I like that.” 

“Good. You got to come back and visit your namesake. Deal?” 

“Deal,” he shook her hand. “See you later.” 

He got up off the ground and turned to walk away. When he got to the top of the stairs he looked down and she was still looking at him, holding First Mate Friar. She took a little paw and waved goodbye at him, and he blushed and waved back, turning before he tripped over something and embarrassed himself. 

It was totally worth getting yelled at by Dr. Kent when he got back. 

And later that night the coffee was really pretty darn good. And the next morning, too.


End file.
